Effective uses of PowerPoint:

How to construct a pleasant instructional presentation utilizing Microsoft Office PowerPoint

Dawn Peterson

#1

Have an interesting introductory slide that is pleasant to view and draws attention towards the topic.

Chapter 1

Thinking and caring about international politics

#2

Properly organize information with a visually pleasing proportion of bullets and graphics:

▪ Use bullets as a way to highlight various points

▪ Use graphics as a way to emphasize or complement various points

Why study world politics Finances

The valuation of the dollar Interest rates Rate of inflation Jobs & rate of compensation

Environment Health Food Supply The quality of air and water Weather patterns and temperature

Security War (nuclear, biological, chemical) Terrorism

#3

Use lines as a way to highlight important information and illustrate meaning

Four dominant points of viewsRealist- believe that conflict and

contention is inevitable because all people are self interested individuals vying for the same resources

▪ Thomas Hobbes- humans possess an inherent urge to dominate

▪ Hans Morgenthau- the ubiquity of evil in human actions inevitably turns churches into political organizations, revolutions into dictatorships, and love of country into imperialism

#4

Use non serif fonts, so that the that audience can read large amounts of text clearly

Neorealist• Neorealist – believe that states are the

primary source of conflict and contention. State power is anarchical and unbalanced; each state strives to promote its own interests and each state is its own judge and jury. International organizations may exist but there power is too limited to squelch conflict.

#5

Keep patterns and themes similar throughout the presentation.

Liberalism Liberals believe that conflict can be

mitigated through cooperative government, either through current government structures or through new models of governance.

▪ Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) believed that humans have recognized that more can be accomplished through interdependence and cooperation than through unilateral action

#6

Use similar color schemes and backgrounds throughout the presentation

Neo Liberals Believe that the state is the

primary actor of the world stage. They believe that states should come together for the purpose of obtaining mutual benefits and greater standards of human existence.

International Government Organizations (IGO’s)

Non governmental Organizations (NGO’s)

#7

Keep bells and whistles to a minimum for the purpose of avoiding distraction

Examples of International Organizations & NGO’s The United Nations The European Union NATO The African Union

World Rights Watch Terrorist groups and organizations

#8

Make sure to utilize spell check and proof read all the slides

Making realism and liberalism into policy Woodrow Wilson- asked Congress for a declaration

of war against Germany for the purpose of making the world safe for democracy

William Clinton asked Americans to support sending U.S. troops to Bosnia because it was the right thing to do to stop the Serbian genocide of Croats and Muslim Bosnians

President Bush’s willingness to engage in preemptive war, including the attack on Iraq in2003 for the purpose of spreading democracy

#9

Pay attention to organization of information

Realpolitik

An approach to politics that emphasizes self interests and security first before worrying about the welfare of others “The best way to maintain the peace is

to remain powerful” (Ronald Regan) “We will build our defenses beyond

challenge, lest weaknesses invite challenge” (George W. Bush)

#10

Resist using too many graphics on a single slide

Military Spending

More on Military Spending

Direct and Indirect democracy Republics/ Indirect democracies

The election of leaders to represent our interests in policy making decisions

direct democracy – direct votes by the people

Forms of direct democracy▪ initiatives and referendums

Avenues for Political Participation Ways to Participate:

Voting

Political Contact, phone calls, letter writing, emails 45%

Join interest groups, or professional associations 86%

Participate in political campaigns, monetary contributions 34%

Attendance in meetings and political rallies 46%

Civil disobedience (Ukraine , Vietnam, Tiananmen Square)

Consumerism and Shopping

Who Votes

Voting statistics for 2008:

• 64% of all eligible voters are registered

• 56% of 18-25 year-olds registered but only 42% actually voted

• 67% of all seniors (55+) vote

Young People Vote Less

Older Adults

Young Voters

Likely Voters Educated people, those with college degrees tend to

vote more than people with fewer years of formal education

Wealthier people vote more than poorer people

Devotedly religious people tend to vote more often than secular people

Women tend to vote more than men

People who identify strongly with either Democrat or Republican Party

Trust in government was rising, but is now declining

Conclusions We are all part of the worlds drama

and are all affected by it Economics is one way in which we

are all affected Our countries role in the world

affects our budgets for domestic endeavors

There are many things that individuals can do to become actively involved